Display panel, repairing method and display device

This application is the U.S. national phase of PCT Application No. PCT/CN2023/084627 filed on Mar. 29, 2023, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The present disclosure relates to the field of display technology, in particular to a display panel, a repairing method and a display device.

In the related art, when a large-sized display substrate needs to be cut to form a small-sized display substrate, the start voltage is output by the timing controller (TCON) and then output to the level shifter. The start voltage line is used to provide an start signal to the gate driving circuit of the display panel. TCON is set in the driving integrated circuit (IC). The start voltage line extends from the side of the driving IC to the side away from the driving IC, then if horizontal cutting is performed (the horizontal direction is the extension direction of the gate lines), the start voltage line will be cut off, so that the display substrate obtained after cutting cannot work properly.

In one aspect, the present disclosure provides in some embodiments a display substrate, including a base substrate and a driving module arranged on the base substrate; wherein the driving module includes a control switch and N cascaded driving circuits; the driving circuit includes an input terminal; N is a positive integer; input terminals of previous a stages of driving circuits included in the driving module is electrically connected to a start voltage line; a is a positive integer; an input terminal of an nth stage of driving circuit included in the driving module is electrically connected to an output terminal of an (n−m)th stage of driving circuit included in the driving module through an input cascade line; n and m are positive integers, and m is less than n; the driving module further includes at least one connection line, the connection line extends along a first direction; there is an overlapping area between an orthographic projection of the connection line on the base substrate and an orthographic projection of the start voltage line on the base substrate; and/or, there is an overlapping area between the orthographic projection of the connection line on the base substrate and an orthographic projection of the input cascade line on the base substrate; the control switch is electrically connected to the connection line.

Optionally, at least part of the connection line and the start voltage line are located on different layers, and at least part of the connection line and the input cascade line are located on different layers.

Optionally, the connection line is provided between two adjacent driving circuits; or the connection line penetrates at least part of the driving circuit.

Optionally, the driving module includes a plurality of clock signal lines, a plurality of stages of driving circuits and a line collection portion; the driving circuit includes a first driving circuit portion and a second driving circuit portion; the plurality of clock signal lines, the first driving circuit portion, the line collection portion and the second driving circuit portion are arranged in sequence along a direction close to a display area; the input cascade line is provided in the line collection portion; the driving circuit includes the first driving circuit portion and the second driving circuit portion.

Optionally, the control switch includes a control line and a control module; the control module is electrically connected to the control line, the start voltage line, the connection line and the line collection portion respectively, and is configured to control to connect or disconnect the connection line and the line collection portion under the control of a control signal provided by the control line; there is an overlapping area between the orthographic projection of the connection line on the base substrate and the orthographic projection of the line collection portion on the base substrate.

Optionally, the control module is electrically connected to the input cascade line in the line collection portion; the control module includes at least one control sub-module; a control sub-module corresponding to the nth stage of driving circuit included in the driving module is electrically connected to an input terminal of the (n+j)th stage of driving circuit through the input cascade line; j is a positive integer.

Optionally, the control line includes a first control line and a second control line, and the control sub-module includes a first control circuit and a second control circuit; the first control circuit is electrically connected to the first control line, the start voltage line and the connection line respectively, and is configured to control to connect or disconnect the start voltage line and the connection line under the control of a first control signal provided by the first control line; the second control circuit is electrically connected to the second control line, the connection line and the input cascade line respectively, and is configured to control to connect or disconnect the connection line and the input cascade line under the control of a second control signal provided by the second control line.

Optionally, the driving module includes a plurality of connection lines; the connection lines are provided between adjacent two stage of driving circuits; a first terminal of the connection line is electrically connected to the first control circuit, and a second terminal of the connection line is electrically connected to the second control circuit; the first terminal and the second terminal are opposite terminals.

Optionally, the first control circuit includes a first control transistor, and the second control circuit includes a second control transistor; a gate electrode of the first control transistor is electrically connected to a first electrode of the first control transistor, the gate electrode of the first control transistor is electrically connected to the first control line, and the first electrode of the first control transistor is electrically connected to the first terminal of the connection line, and a second electrode of the first control transistor is electrically connected to the start voltage line; a gate electrode of the second control transistor is electrically connected to the second control line, a first electrode of the second control transistor is electrically connected to the second terminal of the connection line, and a second electrode of the second control transistor is electrically connected to the input cascade line.

Optionally, the first control circuit includes a first control transistor, and the second control circuit includes a second control transistor; a gate electrode of the first control transistor is electrically connected to the first control line, a first electrode of the first control transistor is electrically connected to the first terminal of the connection line, and a second electrode of the first control transistor is electrically connected to the start voltage line; a gate electrode of the second control transistor is electrically connected to the second control line, a first electrode of the second control transistor is electrically connected to the second terminal of the connection line, and a second electrode of the second control transistor is electrically connected to the input cascade line.

Optionally, the control line includes a second control line, and the control sub-module includes a second control circuit; the connection line is electrically connected to the start voltage line; the second control circuit is electrically connected to the second control line, the connection line and the input cascade line respectively, and is configured to control to connect or disconnect the connection line and the input cascade line under the control of the second control signal provided by the second control line.

Optionally, the driving module includes a plurality of connection lines; the plurality of connection lines are arranged between adjacent two stage of driving circuits; a first terminal of the connection line is electrically connected to the start voltage line, and a second terminal of the connection line is electrically connected to the second control circuit; the first terminal and the second terminal are opposite terminals.

Optionally, the second control circuit includes a second control transistor; a gate electrode of the second control transistor is electrically connected to the second control line, a first electrode of the second control transistor is electrically connected to the second terminal of the connection line, and a second electrode of the second control transistor is electrically connected to the input cascade line.

Optionally, the control line includes a first control line, and the control sub-module includes a first control circuit; the first control circuit is electrically connected to the first control line, the start voltage line and the connection line respectively, and is configured to control to connect or disconnect the connection line and the start voltage line under the control of the first control signal provided by the first control line; the connection line is electrically connected to the input cascade line.

Optionally, the driving module includes a plurality of connection lines; the plurality of connection lines are arranged between adjacent two stage of driving circuits; the first terminal of the connection line is electrically connected to the first control circuit, and the second terminal of the connection line is electrically connected to the input cascade line; the first terminal and the second terminal are opposite terminals.

Optionally, the first control circuit includes a first control transistor; a gate electrode of the first control transistor is electrically connected to the first control line, a first electrode of the first control transistor is electrically connected to the start voltage line, and a second electrode of the first control transistor is electrically connected to the first terminal of the connection line.

Optionally, the connection line included in the driving module penetrates the clock signal line included in the driving circuit, the first driving circuit portion and the line collection portion in a direction from away from the display area to close to the display area.

Optionally, the display substrate includes a first metal layer and an electrode layer sequentially arranged in a direction away from the base substrate; the connection line includes a first line portion formed on the electrode layer and a second line portion formed on the first metal layer; the first line portion and the second line portion are electrically connected; at least part of the first line portion is provided in a clock signal line area, the first driving circuit portion and the line collection portion; the clock signal line area is an area where the plurality of clock signal lines are provided; at least part of the second line portion is provided on the line collection portion.

Optionally, the driving circuit includes an input circuit; the input circuit includes a control terminal, a first terminal and a second terminal; the control terminal of the input circuit is electrically connected to the input terminal, and the second terminal of the input circuit is electrically connected to a pull-up node; the input circuit is configured to control a potential of the pull-up node under the control of an input signal provided by the input terminal.

Optionally, the input circuit includes a first transistor; a gate electrode of the first transistor is electrically connected to the first input terminal, a first electrode of the first transistor is electrically connected to the second input terminal, and a second electrode of the first transistor is electrically connected to the pull-up node; the first input terminal and the second input terminal are electrically connected or not electrically connected.

Optionally, the gate electrode of the first transistor is formed on the second metal layer, and the first electrode of the first transistor is formed on the first metal layer; the gate electrode of the first transistor is electrically connected to the first connection line portion formed on the second metal layer; the first electrode of the first transistor is electrically connected to the second connection line portion formed in the second metal layer through a via hole; the connection line includes a third connection line portion formed on the electrode layer and a fourth connection line portion formed on the first metal layer; the third connection line portion and the fourth connection line portion are electrically connected; there is an overlapping area between an orthographic projection of the third connection line portion on the base substrate and an orthographic projection of the first connection line portion on the base substrate; there is an overlapping area between an orthographic projection of the fourth connection line portion on the base substrate and an orthographic projection of the second connection line portion on the base substrate.

Optionally, the display substrate further includes a fifth connection line portion and a sixth connection line portion; the fifth connection line portion is formed on the electrode layer, and the fifth connection line portion is connected to the third connection line portion; the sixth connection line portion is formed on the first metal layer, and the sixth connection line portion is connected to the fourth connection line portion; the fifth connection line portion and the sixth connection line portion are electrically connected.

Optionally, the driving circuit includes a first driving circuit portion; the first driving circuit portion includes an input circuit, a pull-up node control circuit, a first pull-down node control circuit, a second pull-down node control circuit and a reset circuit; the input circuit is configured to control a potential of the pull-up node under the control of an input signal provided by the input terminal; the pull-up node control circuit is configured to control the potential of the pull-up node; the first pull-down node control circuit is configured to control a potential of the first pull-down node; the second pull-down node control circuit is configured to control a potential of the second pull-down node; the reset circuit is configured to reset the driving signal provided by the driving signal output terminal of the current stage under the control of the potential of the first pull-down node and the potential of the second pull-down node.

In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a display substrate, including a base substrate and a driving module arranged on the base substrate; wherein the driving module includes N cascaded driving circuits; the driving circuit includes an input terminal; N is a positive integer; input terminals of previous a stages of driving circuits included in the driving module are electrically connected to a start voltage line; a is a positive integer; an input terminal of an nth stage of driving circuit included in the driving module is electrically connected to an output terminal of the (n−m)th stage of driving circuit included in the driving module through an input cascade line; n and m are positive integers, and m is less than n; the driving module also includes at least one connection line, the connection line extends along a first direction; there is an overlapping area between an orthographic projection of the connection line on the base substrate and an orthographic projection of the start voltage line on the base substrate; there is an overlap area between the orthographic projection of the connection line on the base substrate and an orthographic projection of the input cascade line on the base substrate.

In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a repairing method, applied to the display substrate and includes: when previous c stages of driving circuits included in the driving module in the display substrate are cut off, controlling, by the control switch, to connect the connection line and the input cascade line; the input cascade line being electrically connected to an input terminal of a (c+k)th stage of driving circuit; both c and k are positive integers.

Optionally, the control switch includes a control module and a control line; the control line includes a first control line and the second control line, the control module includes at least one control sub-module, the control sub-module includes a first control circuit and a second control circuit; the repairing method includes: when the first c stages of driving circuits included in the driving module in the display substrate are cut off, a connection line close to the (c+p)th stage of driving circuit being used to transmit the start voltage signal; disconnecting a first control line between a first control circuit corresponding to a (c+p)th stage of driving circuit from a first control circuit corresponding to a (c+p+1)th stage of driving circuit; disconnecting the second control line between the second control circuit corresponding to the (c+p)th stage of driving circuit from the second control circuit corresponding to the (c+p+1)th stage of driving circuit; p is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1.

Optionally, the control switch includes a control module and a control line; the control line includes a second control line, and the control module includes at least one control sub-module, the control sub-module includes a second control circuit; the repair method includes: when the first c stages of driving circuits included in the driving module in the display substrate are cut off, the connection line close to the (c+p)th stage of driving circuit being used to transmit the start voltage signal; disconnecting the second control line between the second control circuit corresponding to the (c+p)th stage of driving circuit and the second control circuit corresponding to the (c+p+1)th stage of driving circuit; p is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1.

Optionally, the control switch includes a control module and a control line; the control line includes a first control line, and the control module includes at least one control sub-module, the control sub-module includes a first control circuit; the repair method includes: when the first c stages of driving circuits included in the driving module in the display substrate are cut off, the connection line close to the (c+p)th stage of driving circuit being used to transmit the start voltage signal; disconnecting the first control line between the first control circuit corresponding to the (c+p)th stage of driving circuit and the first control circuit corresponding to the (c+p+1)th stage of driving circuit; p is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1.

In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a display device, including the display substrate.

The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some of the embodiments of the present disclosure, rather than all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without making creative efforts fall within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

The transistors used in all embodiments of the present disclosure may be thin film transistors, field effect transistors, or other devices with the same characteristics. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, in order to distinguish the two electrodes of the transistor except the gate electrode, one electrode is called the first electrode and the other electrode is called the second electrode.

In actual operation, when the transistor is a thin film transistor or a field effect transistor, the first electrode may be a drain electrode, and the second electrode may be a source electrode; or, the first electrode may be a source electrode, the second electrode may be a drain electrode.

The display substrate according to the embodiment of the present disclosure includes a base substrate and a driving module arranged on the base substrate; the driving module includes a control switch and N cascaded driving circuits; the driving circuit includes an input terminal; N is a positive integer;

The input terminals of the previous a stages of driving circuits included in the driving module is electrically connected to an start voltage line; a is a positive integer;

The input terminal of the nth stage of driving circuit included in the driving module is electrically connected to an output terminal of the (n−m)th stage of driving circuit included in the driving module through an input cascade line; n and m are positive integers, and m is less than n;

The driving module also includes at least one connection line, the connection line extending along a first direction;

There is an overlapping area between an orthographic projection of the connection line on the base substrate and an orthographic projection of the start voltage line on the base substrate; and/or, there is an overlapping area between the orthographic projection of the connection line on the base substrate and an orthographic projection of the input cascade line on the base substrate;

The control switch is electrically connected to the connection line.

In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the control switch may include a control module and a control line.

In specific implementation, when the first c stages of driving circuits included in the driving module in the display substrate is cut off, the control switch controls the connection line and the input cascade line to communicate with each other, so that the start voltage line can be connected to an input terminal of the (c+k)th stage of driving circuit;

The input cascade line is electrically connected to the input terminal of the (c+k)th stage of driving circuit;

Both c and k are positive integers.

In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, when k is greater than 1, no input signal is connected from the input terminal of the (c+1)th stage of driving circuit to the input terminal of the (c+k−1)th stage of driving circuit. A frame sealing glue is provided at the position from the (c+1)th stage of driving circuit to the (c+k−1)th stage of driving circuit.

In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the start voltage line includes a portion extending along the second direction, and the start signal on the start voltage line is transmitted from a side close to the Nth stage of driving circuit in the driving module to the side close to the first stage of driving circuit in the driving module; the second direction is the direction from the Nth stage of driving circuit to the first stage of driving circuit.

In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first direction may intersect with the second direction.

In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the driving module may be a gate driving module, and the driving circuit may be a gate driving circuit, but is not limited thereto.

In specific implementation, the start voltage is output by TCON (timing controller) and then output to the start voltage line through the level shifter. TCON is set in the driver IC. The start voltage line extends from the side of the driver IC to the side away from the driver IC.